themonkalways

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Junior WATSON - Long Overdue 1994Recorded at Sunburst Studios, Culver City, CA October 1987, March and October 1992

Blues

With nearly thirty years of experience, Junior Watson has reached cult status. Junior has done what all great artists have done: melting diverse styles to create a style all his own. With influences as diverse as Tiny Grimes, Oscar Moore, Bill Jennings, Rene Hall, Robert Jr. Lockwood, Jimmy Rogers, Eddie Taylor, Guitar Slim, Earl Hooker and others he has truly created one of the most unique and original guitar voices to come along in years. Besides his mastery of blues and swing he often adds his own cartoon-like twist to everything he plays. You'll never know what he will do and when asked he doesn't know himself. His energy and playing gives you a feeling of reckless abandonment. As he was once quoted "like a train off the tracks".

His artist resume is as large as it is impressive. A founding member of The Mighty Flyers he stayed with the band for ten years. He then left to join Canned Heat for ten years. He then toured for a while with LA-based harmonica player/vocalist Lynwood Slim. All along the way he has backed up and recorded with the who's-who of the blues. His list of musical endeavors include backing up and recording with Big Mama Thorton, George Smith, Jimmy Rogers, Shakey Jake, Luther Tucker, Charlie Musselwhite, Kim Wilson, William Clark and there's more. Suffice to say the list is very extensive.

In the past Junior has always been the sideman or featured artist. For the first time in his career he has a band that is taking the back seat and having Junior do all the driving. For the first time you can hear this amazing, original artist wail all night long. This fact alone is exciting and when unleashed, Junior will prove to the rest of the blues community what his cult status is all about.**Despite playing the role of perrenial sideman, often in fine bands that left much to be desired in the visibility department, Mike "Junior" Watson was, and is, one of the most influential blues guitarists of his generation. In fact, following Robben Ford's defection into fusion, Watson was rivaled only by Hollywood Fats as king of the hill in California and only by Jimmie Vaughan anywhere else. While he and Vaughan have radically different approaches, Watson's arch-top-cheapo-through-reverb-tank sound has much in common with Hollywood Fats', as does his ability to nail seemingly every traditional electric blues style. But whereas Fats was a master of mimckry, Watson has a spontaneous, original bent laced with his oddball sense of humor. After starting out with harpist Gary Smith in northern California in the early '70s, he teamed with Rod Piazza's Mighty Flyers (née Flying Sauce Band) for 11 years, where he was instrumental in injecting the Chicago-styled blues band (and countless others in its wake) with ample doses of swing, culling licks from guitarists Bill Jennings, Tiny Grimes, and Billy Butler. Along the way he gigged with Charlie Musselwhite, Jimmy Rogers, Luther Tucker and others, eventually joining the '80s edition of Canned Heat, with whom he continued to tour until the late '90s.

Giving jump blues and early R&B a kick in its baggy pants, Watson's aptly-titled solo debut revealed what only guitarists (the more conscientious of them) had known for more than a decade: Here is a 6-stringer of rare talent, with the unique ability to play authentically and spontaneously -- all-too-often contradictory paths in the late '70s blues revival. The best and most fitting compliment one could give a Watson solo is that it makes you laugh; this is blues of the rent party variety and Watson never lapses into the maudlin. Along with singers Brenda Burns and Lynwood Slim (on harp as well), Watson favors us with half a dozen surprisingly confident vocals. In fact, the only criticism is that his voice is sometimes too low in the mix. By Dan Forte, All Music Guide.**Bill Stuve BassJeff Big Dad Turmes- Sax (Baritone)Junior Watson- Guitar, VocalsJohn "Juke" Logan- Organ (Hammond)Brenda Burns- VocalsTom MahonPianoLynwood Slim- Harmonica, VocalsRichard Duran- Vocals (Background)Mindy GilesMarketingVictor Gutierez- Vocals (Background)Rich Holmstom- Vocals (Background)Larry Taylor- BassJimi Bott- DrumsTom Fabre- SaxophoneRick Holmstrom- Vocals (Background), GuitarRichard Innes- DrumsFred Kaplan Piano, Organ (Hammond)**01. Certainly All 2:40 02. Lonesome Train 4:32 03. Biscuits 4:17 04. Frankie and Johnny 5:05 05. Mojo Boogie 5:15 06. That's What You Are To Me 2:38 07. The Woodpecker 3:28 08. Want Me Some Love 4:40 09. Big Boy 3:55 10. Long Time Baby 2:20 11. Special Lesson #1 3:06 12. The Long Letters 4:12 13. Cool Evening 2:26 14. I Gotta Go (Back Home) 2:08 15. Lump In My Throat 5:20 16. The Train 2:54 17. Don't Leave Me Baby (The Easy Livin' Plan) 3:45 **

Eric Steckel (born 1990) is an American blues guitarist and singer. His first album A Few Degrees Warmer was recorded live in 2002. He was just 11 years old and became the youngest in a series of precocious blues performers which began in the 1990s with the names of Jonny Lang, Shannon Curfman, and slightly later, Derek Trucks. As a child prodigy he has been invited to play on stage with such artists as John Mayall, Bob Margolin, Debbie Davies, James Armstrong, Tommy Castro, Solomon Burke, Hubert Sumlin, Craig Thatcher, Danny Bryant. In recent years he has been working with his own band and released three albums, including "Live at Havana 2006". He has also played the Springing the Blues festival in Jacksonville Beach, Florida the last 4 years.**Bouncing between original and cover songs, Steckel unplugs Fender attitudes and straddles a course into Freddie King territory, crossing over into Otis Rush turf and sneaking off into Allman Brothers psychedelia.Whatever influences there were in the beginning, Eric is shedding them like snakeskin to nurture a sound of his own. Eric slow burns with "Radio Blues", immortalizes Santana with the Latino "Espirita" and turns "Little Wing" into an almost ten minute guitar pyrotechnical display that is spell-binding. His own "Philips Highway" sees the band aggregate riding the rock pony into the hills of blues.The blueprints of Steckel's music come out of guitar player vaults that were reserved for cranking up blues rock to stadium levels. While many kids his age are listening to rap and hip-hop, Eric looks the other way, cranks up his guitar and pummels out licks that never lose their appeal for us older people who wish they made that giant step when they had the chance."By Gary Weeks.**What a surprise,looking for some records in my habitual Barcelona's records store (Disco 100, what a good professionals they are) I found this Eric Steckel's record 'Live at Havana' when exactly the day before I had read in Amazon its 'mbernocchi''s review. Although Steckel's youth (sixteen years) made me hesitate, I heeded `mbernocchi''s description and I bought it right away and went home to listen to it.

I am almost in full agreement with the whole of mbernocchi's point of view; very good guitar playing, even if somehow fuzzy in some passages of the disk; three great themes; a very good cover Freddie King's "San-Ho-Zay", the super slow Blues "Radio Blues" probably the best song of the record and very good Jimi Hendrix's cover "Little Wing". The other themes are on a good level although I would have liked to hear more piano and less organ and the version of Otis Rush's 'All your love' could have been somewhat better. Steckel is evidently influenced by one of the kings, the great Freddie King, and his voice, even if very correct, is what you would expect of someone so young. All in all it is a good disk for any Blues fan, and I am already playing it in the Blues program of Tiana's local radio station (this is a little town near Barcelona), for my listeners' delight. Congratulations to this intrepid young Eric Steckel called to be in the higher spheres of modern Blues. By Jose Maria Domenech Fedi.** If a teenager can produce heavy rocking guitar blues of this quality, there is no need to worry. This is blues guitar at it's best. If this came from a seasoned player with a long trackrecord, you'd hail it as one of his best. This player is barely into his teens and created this amazing blues cd. The playing is off the charts and his version of LITTLE WINGS is the best I've ever heard. I'm sure ERIC will figure heavily in the future of electric guitar. He already has an amazing phrase book and infuses everything he plays with his own imprint. If you have any kind of interest in the electric guitar, you have to hear this !!!!! By Hans D HARMS. **Eric STECKEL - Guitars, vocalsCraig THATCHER - Guitars, vocals Wayde LEONARD - Bass, vocals Don PLOWMAN - Drums**01. San-Ho Zay 5:04 02. Radio Blues 11:00 03. Espirita 4:57 04. Me & My Guitar 4:54 05. Philips Highway 5:35 06. Deep Fried 4:33 07. Jaywalkin' 4:33 08. Hey Sister 4:51 09. Little Wing 9:52 10. All Your Love 5:43 **

Just by remarking the extraordinary band that backs the harmonica ace LESTER DAVENPORT in this 5 stars 'When the Blues hit you', an All Star Chicago Blues Band, you can say that the record has to be very good. And it really is very very good, as good as you can expect. I don't want to point out any of the themes because all of them are at the same high level. An authentic delight listening to the master SUNNYLAND SLIM's piano, the outstanding JOHN PRIMER's guitar (PRIMER was a player in The Teardrops, Magic Slim's band); also on the rhythmic section ROBERT STROGER on bass,ROBERT COVINGTON on drums and the silent WILLIE DAVIS playing the rhythm guitar. Great stuff, this is the real deal, I recommend it. By Jose Maria Domenech Fedi. **Until 1992, Lester Davenport's chief claims to blues fame were the 1955 Bo Diddley Chess session he played harp on (it produced "Pretty Thing" and "Bring It to Jerome") and a lengthy, much more recent stint holding down the harmonica slot with the multi-generational Gary, IN, band, the Kinsey Report. That instantly changed with the issue of Davenport's own album for Earwig, When the Blues Hit You; now this Chicago blues veteran had something on the shelves to call his very own.

Davenport hit Chicago in 1945 at age 14. He quickly soaked up the sights and sounds so prevalent on the local blues scene, checking out Arthur "Big Boy" Spires, Snooky Pryor, and Homesick James, who invited the youngster to jam sessions and tutored him on the intricacies of the idiom. Gigs with Spires and James preceded his brief hookup with Bo Diddley (which included a booking behind Diddley at New York's famous Apollo Theater). Davenport led his own band while holding down a day job as a paint sprayer during the 1960s, remaining active on the West side prior to joining forces with the Kinseys during the 1980s. Now, about that "Mad Dog" handle: it seems that Davenport liked to prowl the stage while playing a few notes on every instrument on the bandstand during his younger days. The shtick earned him the name; his tenacious playing did the rest. By Bill Dahl, All Music Guide. **John Primer- (Guitar), (Choir, Chorus), Lester Davenport- (Harmonica), (Vocals), Robert Covington- (Drums), (Choir, Chorus), Sunnyland Slim- (Piano), Bob Stroger- (Bass), Will Davis- (Rhythm Guitar), (Choir, Chorus) **01. King Of The Jungle 4:29 02. I Believe My Baby Got A Mojo 6:51 03. I'm Gonna Move 3:50 04. Slow Down Baby 5:58 05. It Won't Work Like That 4:33 06. All My Life 5:53 07. Mad Dog On The Loose 4:10 08. Walkin' The Streets At Midnight 5:37 09. Just For Spite 4:17 10. My Baby's Gone 5:38 11. I'm Gonna Give It Up 4:26 12. When The Blues Hit You 4:24 **

This is the sophomore release for Shoe Suede Blues, whose members include one-time Monkee Peter Tork. It is nice to report that this album is a huge improvement from their live debut (Shoe Suede Blues Live in L.A....).Here, the songs are much shorter, tighter, and more creatively arranged, even if some of the arrangements just don't work (such is the case with their version of "Hound Dog"). Gone are the long solos/jams that clouded their first album. Instead, you have the sounds of very hard-working musicians. While this may not be the best blues album ever made, and it is not as pure as the classics, this album is still a lot of fun with some great songs. The opening (and title) track, "Saved by the Blues," is outstanding, with Tork providing some heartfelt vocals backed by a hot, tight band. The album consists mainly of covers of classic blues songs, which tends to make the band sound like a bar band. This comparison is amplified with the lo-fi sound of the disc. It is the originals that make the album worth getting. Tadg Galleran co-writes several songs here, the best being "Dress Sexy for Me" (co-written with Tork) which features some very witty lines and creative playing. As with their first effort, Tork takes a backseat here and is not the star of the band. He does not sing lead on every track, and he seems content to be the guitarist of this band. Overall, a fun, average blues-rock album with a few sparkling moments. By Aaron Badgley, All Music Guide.**Here's Peter Tork again, instead of tossing off another duet album with James Lee Stanley, here he's got a 4-piece combo playing straightahead blues music. This CD, "Saved By The Blues", was released in 2003--it's partly live performance & partly recorded in the studio, and more than partly, it's an embarassment. I don't deny Tork's genuine love of the blues, but he sounds seriously out of his element on here. Sonically, the CD sounds nice, & drummer John Palmer & bass guitarist Michael Sunday both do a fine job. However, Tork has never exactly been a great singer in the first place, & vocally, he frequently falls flat on his face here, & the one track that he has a writing credit on, "Dress Sexy For Me", is utterly cringe-worthy. Seemingly somewhat aware of his limitations, Tork has guitarist Richard Michaels handle a bunch of the lead vocals, but it doesn't help much. "Kiss and Tell" runs on exhaustingly as if their main goal was to make the song last more than 5 minutes, & it features a guitar solo, presumably by Tork, that is one of the most laughably clumsy and aimless I've ever heard on an official album by a veteran artist, although it does provide the disc with camp value. The album closer "Come On In My Kitchen" is so sluggish, it's eye-roll inducing. Tork largely sounds like he was sleepwalking through his performances on this CD as if it was past his bedtime. They do pull off a nicely-swinging version of "Route 66", but overall, this CD fails to either be gritty & emotional, or to be just plain mindless fun. In other words, it's a major drag. **Jeri Lynne- Organ, VocalsJames Lee Stanley- VocalsMichael Sunday- BassPeter Tork- Guitar, VocalsJohn Palmer- Drums, PercussionTadg Galleran- Harmonica, Vocals, Keyboards**01. Saved By the Blues 2:40 02. Cab Driver 2:56 03. Help Me 4:16 04. Hound Dog 3:10 05. Route 66 4:00 06. Kiss and Tell 5:24 07. Dress Sexy for Me 3:21 08. Treat Her Right 2:39 09. Big Boss Man 4:16 10. Slender Tender and Tall 2:30 11. Wine- Texas Bbq 3:07 12. Come On in My Kitchen 4:24 **

Jake Harris knew how to shake a pair of dice in order to roll a lucrative winner. He also realized early on that his nephew, guitarist Magic Sam, was a winner as a bluesman. Harris may have not been a technical wizard on his chosen instrument, but his vocals and harp style were proficient enough to result in a reasonably successful career (both with Sam and without).**Shakey Jake- Vocal, HarmonicaRobert Banks- Piano Jimmy Lee Robinson- Guitar Leonard Gaskin- Bass Junior Blackmon- Drums**A1. Mouth Harp Blues A2. Love Me Baby A3. Jake's Cha Cha A4. Gimme a Smile A5. My Broken Heart B1. Angry Lover B2. Things Is Alright B3. Easy Baby B4. Things Are Different Baby B5. It Won't Happen Again **

he last cut, hats off to Albert Collins' "Dyin' Flu," will make you fall down and beg for mercy. This is what happens when a virtuoso blues guitarist doesn't have a thing to prove and slips into the groove. Playing that is listening, ear cocked like a hound dog's in the wind, Robillard hearing whatever it was Collins must have heard when the inspiration for this one came to him. (Definitely not the same thing as imitating licks or covering a tune.) Also a plus is that Duke doesn't burden you with overload in the vocals department but when he does open his mouth, it's so right it hurts. In general Duke sings a lil too much for my taste--he should let the guitar talk for him more of the time. The other great cut on this album is "Never Let You Go" where again Duke stays mainly in instrumental mode. This man is a treasure when he really opens up on the guitar--worth waiting for! **In 1990, Robillard joined the Fabulous Thunderbirds. Even though he had become a member of the Austin group, the guitarist continued to record and tour as a solo artist, signing with the major label Point Blank/Virgin in 1994 for Temptation. **Duke's Blues** followed two years later, and after one more album for Virgin, 1997's Dangerous Place, Robillard signed to Shanachie for 1999's New Blues for Modern Man. Conversations in Swing Guitar followed later that year, and the prolific guitarist returned in mid-2000 with Explorer. **Gordon Beadle- Baritone, Tenor Sax Duke Robillard- Guitar,VocalsGreg Mazel- Baritone, Tenor Sax,VibraphonePaul Murphy- GuitarMarty Ballou- BassMatt McCabe- PianoAl Basile- CornetJeff McAllister- Drums **01. Midnight Cannon Ball (3:03)02. Glamour Girl (4:49)03. I Still Love You Baby (2:58)04. Texas Hop (2:42)05. Don't Leave Me Baby (3:26)06. Tell Me Why (2:48)07. Something to Remember You By (5:52)08. Love Slipped In (3:48)09. Information Blues (5:06)10. Don't Treat Me Like That (3:22)11. Never Let You Go (5:23)12. Gee I Wish (3:18)13. My Heart Is Cryin' (4:27)14. Red's Riff (6:49)15. Dyin' Flu (11:17)**